Horse property barns and stables may contain large quantities of mud because of excessive traffic. Mud is more than a mess or nuisance. Winter and spring rains can cause mud and manure to runoff into nearby waterways. Nutrients and sediment in runoff are a source of non-point source pollution, which can degrade water quality. Louisiana horse owners can reduce the impact on streams and bayous by specific adopting management practices.
Rotational grazing has long been used by livestock producers as a way to use pasture more efficiently. By dividing large pastures into smaller paddocks, animals make better use of available forage. Additionally, pastures that are not allowed to be grazed down to such an extent that soil erosion can occur protect the environment by preventing sediment loss into adjacent waterways.
Pervious concrete may be an alternative surface material for such horse facilities. Pervious concrete is a mixture of the same ingredients, except the sand is reduced or omitted and the amount of water is reduced. A properly installed concrete pad, using pervious concrete, is capable of allowing high volumes of water to permeate through the material. Depending on the aggregate used and the compacted density of the pad, the amount of infiltration of material through the pad can be varied